Midwives' preparedness for climate change impacts on maternal and child health: A scoping review

IF 4.1 2区医学 Q1 NURSING

Women and Birth Pub Date : 2025-09-30 DOI:10.1016/j.wombi.2025.102112

Jutharat Attawet , Pratibha Bhandari , Teresa Lewis , Cong Wang , Yunjing Qiu

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Midwives are frontline healthcare providers for pregnant women, yet gaps in their knowledge and training on extreme heat and air pollution limit their ability to provide effective care during these climate-related challenges.

Objective

This scoping review aimed to explore midwives' knowledge, adaptation, and preparedness for caring for pregnant women during climate change-related events, with a focus on extreme heat and air pollution.

Method

A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. A total of 272 articles were retrieved from multiple databases, of which five studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies comprised qualitative, quantitative, mixed-method, case study, and review designs.

Findings

The review revealed two key areas. First, midwives demonstrated varying levels of knowledge and preparedness regarding climate change-related events, particularly extreme heat and air pollution, with implications for maternal and child health. Second, barriers and enablers were identified: limited training, weak institutional support, and inadequate policies hindered practice, whereas professional development initiatives and supportive leadership acted as enablers.

Conclusion

The findings highlight an urgent need to integrate education on such climate change-related events into midwifery training. Strengthening midwives' knowledge and preparedness is essential to empower them in safeguarding maternal and child health amidst growing climate-related challenges.

查看原文本刊更多论文

助产士对气候变化对母婴健康影响的准备：范围审查。

背景：助产士是孕妇的一线医疗保健提供者，但他们在极端高温和空气污染方面的知识和培训方面的差距限制了他们在这些与气候相关的挑战中提供有效护理的能力。目的：本综述旨在探讨助产士在气候变化相关事件期间照顾孕妇的知识、适应和准备情况，重点是极端高温和空气污染。方法：采用乔安娜布里格斯研究所（JBI）的方法进行范围审查。从多个数据库中共检索到272篇文章，其中5篇研究符合纳入标准。纳入的研究包括定性、定量、混合方法、案例研究和回顾设计。研究结果：综述揭示了两个关键领域。首先，助产士对与气候变化有关的事件，特别是对影响孕产妇和儿童健康的极端高温和空气污染，表现出不同程度的知识和准备。其次，确定了障碍和促成因素：有限的培训、薄弱的制度支持和不充分的政策阻碍了实践，而专业发展倡议和支持性领导则是促成因素。结论：研究结果强调了将此类气候变化相关事件的教育纳入助产培训的迫切需要。加强助产士的知识和准备工作对于增强她们在日益严峻的气候相关挑战中保护孕产妇和儿童健康的能力至关重要。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Women and Birth NURSING-OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY

CiteScore

7.20

自引率

13.20%

发文量

371

审稿时长

27 days

期刊介绍： Women and Birth is the official journal of the Australian College of Midwives (ACM). It is a midwifery journal that publishes on all matters that affect women and birth, from pre-conceptual counselling, through pregnancy, birth, and the first six weeks postnatal. All papers accepted will draw from and contribute to the relevant contemporary research, policy and/or theoretical literature. We seek research papers, quality assurances papers (with ethical approval) discussion papers, clinical practice papers, case studies and original literature reviews. Our women-centred focus is inclusive of the family, fetus and newborn, both well and sick, and covers both healthy and complex pregnancies and births. The journal seeks papers that take a woman-centred focus on maternity services, epidemiology, primary health care, reproductive psycho/physiology, midwifery practice, theory, research, education, management and leadership. We also seek relevant papers on maternal mental health and neonatal well-being, natural and complementary therapies, local, national and international policy, management, politics, economics and societal and cultural issues as they affect childbearing women and their families. Topics may include, where appropriate, neonatal care, child and family health, women’s health, related to pregnancy, birth and the postpartum, including lactation. Interprofessional papers relevant to midwifery are welcome. Articles are double blind peer-reviewed, primarily by experts in the field of the submitted work.